Alsop, Anthony

, a poetical and miscellaneous English writer, was educated at Westminster school, and thence
elected to Christ-church, Oxford, where he took the degree
of M.A. March 23, 1696, and of B. D. Dec. 12, 1706. On
his coming to the university, he was very soon distinguished
by dean Aldrich, and published “Fabularum Æsopicarurn
delectus,” Oxon. 1698, 8vo, with a poetical dedication to
lord viscount Scudamore, and a preface in which he took
part against Dr. Bentley in the famous dispute with Mr.
Boyle. This book, Dr. Warton observes, is not sufficiently known. It was better known at one time, however, if we may credit bishop Warburton, who, in one of
his letters to Dr. Hurd, says that “a powerful cabal gave
it a surprising turn.” Alsop passed through the usual
offices in his college to that of censor, with considerable
| reputation; and for some years had the principal noblemen and gentlemen belonging to the society committed to
his care. In this useful employment he continued till his
merit recommended him to sir Jonathan Trelawny, bishop
of Winchester, who appointed him his chaplain, and soon
after gave him a prebend in his own cathedral, together
with the rectory of Brightwell, in the county of Berks,
which afforded him ample provision for a learned retirement, from which he could not be drawn by the repeated
solicitations of those who thought him qualified for a more
public character and a higher station. In 1717 an action
was brought against him by Mrs. Elizabeth Astrey of Oxford, for a breach of a marriage contract; and a verdict
obtained against him for 2,000l. which probably occasioned
him to leave the kingdom for some time. How long this
exile lasted is unknown; but his death happened, June 10,
1726, and was occasioned by his falling into a ditch that
led to his garden-door, the path being narrow, and part of
it giving way. A quarto volume of his was published in.
1752, by the late sir Francis Bernard, under the title of
“Antonii Alsopi, sedis Christi olim alumni, Odarum libri
duo.” Four English poems of his are in Dodsley’s collection, one in Pearch’s, several in the early volumes of the
Gentleman’s Magazine, and some in the “Student.” He
seems to have been a pleasant and facetious companion,
not rigidly bound by the trammels of his profession, and
does not appear to have published any sermons. Mr. Alsop is respectfully mentioned by the facetious Dr. King of
the Commons (vol. I. p. 236.) as having enriched the commonwealth of learning, by “Translations of fables from
Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic 5” and not less detractingly by
Dr. Bentley, under the name of “Tony Alsop, a late editor of the Alisopean Fables.” Sir Francis Bernard, his
editor, says, that among the various branches of philological
learning for which he was eminent, his singularly delicate
taste for the classic poets was the chief. This induced him
to make use of the Sapphic numbers in his familiar correspondence with his most intimate friends, in which he
shewed a facility so uncommon, and a style so natural and
easy, that he has been, not unjustly, esteemed not inferior,
to his nic;ter Horace. 1

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